2 ÜbersichtThe European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE)ICT-ImplantateEthische Aspekte

3 The European Group on Ethics (EGE)The EGE is an independent, pluralist and multitisciplinary body which advises the European Commission on ethical aspects of science and new technologies in connection with the preparation and implementation of Community legislation or policies.

13 Weitere medizinische AnwendungenThe German company Otto Bock Healthcare produces prostheses like the „C-Leg“ which is a chip-controlled leg. See:

14 Nicht-medizinische AnwendungenPassive devices: An example of a passive device is the radio frequency identification (RFID) device.Active devices use electrical impulses to interact with the human’s nervous system.

18 „Human bar coding“ The VeriChip™ What? How does it work?RFID=Radio Frequency Identification DevicePassive ID tagContains an unique ID numberHow does it work?Energized by a scanner (RF)Emits a radio signalTransmits ID number to a Database via phone or InternetCurrent applications (FDA approval in 2004)Medical records (blood type, potencial allergies, medical history)Personal informationFinancial information

19 The VeriChip™VeriChip™ is a subdermal, radio frequency identification (RFID) device, about the size of a grain of rice. This technology, developed by Applied Digital Solutions (ADS), one US-based company, has been used in animals for years and seems fairly harmless.Extending the use to the human population is the next step.The idea for employing the tags to identify humans came after the horror of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon.The chip is an ID tag which is passive (not independently powered). When radio-frequency energy passes from a scanner, it energizes the chip, and which then emits a radio-frequency signal transmitting the chip's information to the reader, which in turn links with a database.

20 Weitere nicht-medizinische AnwendungenExperiments as reported by Kevin Warwick (Department of Cybernetics,University of Reading, UK)In Mexico (August 2004) microchips were implanted in the arms of the Fiscal General and 160 Fiscal‘s employees to control their access to a confidential documentation centre and possibly track them in case of kidnapping.

22 Weitere nicht-medizinische AnwendungenIn the Japanese prefecture of Wakayama (Osaka) children will use RFID-labels for entering school (2004).TraceCare (Wiesbaden, Germany) offers devices that allow to find the position of a person via internet through a Global Positioning System (GPS).

24 Weitere nicht-medizinische AnwendungenMicrosoft patent Number 6,754,472 June 22, 2004 concerns the human body as a medium for transmission of data (or energy) to „other devices“ like PDAs, cellular phones, medical devices, RFID, making possible to localize persons. The patent does not describe any specific device.

25 „Digital angel“Integration and miniaturization of three technologies:Biosensor: read a person‘s vital signs by touching the skin (implanted into a wristwatch)Pager device: takes the data from the biosensor by using a cellular packet modulePosition location technology: using radio signal to stay in contact with a person‘s pager device-> this information is sent through cellular data packets to a data centre (Digital Angel™)-> The first Digital Angel was launched in November 2001-> Medical emergency purposes-> Identification/Location purposes

26 Rechtlicher Hintergrund: MenschenwürdeUniversal Declaration of Human RightsEU Charter of Fundamental Rights of 2000Convention on Human Rigts and Biomedicine of the Council of EuropeEU DirectivesEuropean Constitution, National Constitutions-> providing that the human body and its parts shall not give rise to financial gain (Principle of human dignity)